Displays, Braille category, VoiceOver Utility on Mac

Use the Displays pane of the Braille category in VoiceOver Utility to view a list of the refreshable braille displays connected to your Mac, and assign VoiceOver commands to keys on the braille displays.

To open VoiceOver Utility, press Command-F5 to turn VoiceOver on, then press VO-F8.

The list indicates the primary device and disconnected devices, as well as devices connected to your Mac (USB symbol or Bluetooth symbol).

Display information

VoiceOver shows information about the display selected in the list, such as the number of cells and status cells.

Primary braille display

Use the selected braille display as the primary display for mirroring.

Assign Commands

Assign VoiceOver commands to keys on your braille display.

Add button

Set up a Bluetooth braille display to use with VoiceOver. You can use one Bluetooth braille display at a time.

Remove button

Delete a Bluetooth braille display from the list.

Allow input from

Click the pop-up menu, then choose the displays from which the selected display should accept input: Primary braille display, All braille displays, or No braille displays.

To accept input only from the primary display, and prevent input from each braille display that’s connected to your Mac, choose “Primary braille displays.” For example, if you’re in a classroom setting where students’ braille displays are connected to a Mac, you can prevent accidental input from those displays, accepting input only from the instructor’s display.

For some Bluetooth braille displays, after you turn off the braille display and move it out of range of your Mac, wait for at least 30 seconds to make sure your Mac indicates the braille display is no longer connected. Your Mac tries to maintain the connection during this interval in case the braille display was accidentally turned off or moved out of range.

When you turn on a connected Bluetooth braille display and move it in range of your Mac, your Mac should detect it in about five seconds.